School Network Staff Director of Student Services
Job Description
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position: Director of Student Services
Reports to: Senior Director of Student Services
Location: Central Office – Denver, CO
THE CHALLENGE
Do you want to ensure that every STRIVE Prep school has a robust Student Services department that leads Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, special education, and intervention to achieve strong outcomes for students in Denver who have historically faced systemic barriers that have significantly impacted their academic trajectory?
OVERVIEW OF ROLE
STRIVE Preparatory Schools (STRIVE Prep) is a Denver-based community of K-12 public charter schools that challenges every student to discover and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in college and beyond. The Director of Student Services will be part of STRIVE Prep’s Student Services Team which encompasses MTSS, special education, emergent bilinguals, and mental health. The Director of Student Services directly supports special education, intervention, and MTSS within a portfolio of 4-5 STRIVE Prep schools, ranging from elementary through high school. The successful candidate will use experience and knowledge to develop and operationalize guidance around the structures and supports needed to implement robust, evidence-based practices, programming, and procedures, across all STRIVE Prep campuses that leads to increased student achievement for every scholar. The Director of Student Services serves as a champion and expert in this work, providing consultation and serving as a collaborative problem-solver alongside school administrators, teachers, and the central Academic Team.
THE MUST-HAVES
Do the following must-haves resonate with how you are wired and demonstrable in your unique talents and experiences? If so, we invite you to apply and can’t wait to learn more about you!
- You are able to lead in environments of change: You consistently bring focus and prioritization to any work you do which provides a strong foundation for moving the work forward concurrently with organizational change and growth. You are judicious yet tenacious in planning and executing, and this level of critical thinking enables you to navigate environments that at times may feel ambiguous.
- You are driven by a mission to disrupt barriers facing historically disadvantaged students: You do the work you do, every day, with a deep conviction to address the systemic educational barriers that many students in our city have faced since they entered the school system. Because of this conviction, you are a tireless advocate for every student and lead with the belief that every student can achieve.
- You are a systems builder and thinker: You have experience in developing systems necessary to push work forward. You can break big-picture ideas into the necessary parts and construct the systems needed to drive toward big-picture goals. You also recognize that effective systems include multiple inputs and as a result, ensure you collaborate with a variety of stakeholders who bring diverse perspectives and experiences as part of your strategic planning.
- You love all things intervention and special education: You wouldn’t flinch if a co-worker asked you to give a summary of MTSS, intervention, or special education. Problem-solving teams and data-driven decisions are a core component to your work and you hold a deep conviction for the significance and nuances of special education. You recognize high-quality IEPs to be the anchor for driving towards outcomes for students and the significance of transition programming for high school students with disabilities.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
With the must-haves driving your daily approach to the work, the successful Director of Student Services will strategically collaborate with the Senior Director of Student Services and Director of Special Education to set and execute the vision for Student Services across the STRIVE Prep network, as well as with the school leaders, Assistant Principals of Student Services, and Special Education Department Chairs to provide targeted, responsive coaching and support within a portfolio of schools.
MTSS Structures and Processes
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- Invest in and directly support stakeholders in developing school-level infrastructure necessary for the implementation of data-based problem-solving processes.
- Progress monitor data to assess and analyze the effectiveness of intervention programming and refine programming as needed.
- Collaborate with MTSS teams to analyze student data, including student work, in order to:
- Monitor and adapt to student response to intervention
- Identify trends and make recommendations around how to address gaps
- Celebrate and learn from performance gains and systemic improvement
Special Education Procedures and Leadership
- Provide expert technical assistance and content guidance in the special education eligibility and IEP process through side by side coaching, professional development, and supporting resources
- Provide coaching and strategic support for campus Special Education Department Chairs around:
- Special Education Teacher and team coaching and development
- Special Education programming and delivery of services within their respective school including center programs if applicable
- Specific student academic and/or behavioral concerns and needs
- Differentiated mentoring for Special Education teachers based upon individual needs and trajectories of growth
- Leading and advocating for Special Education services(?) Support(?)within their respective school
- Remain knowledgeable and up to date with district and state regulations and policies on Special Education eligibility and the IEP process, including being able to easily navigate and identify district and state resources and tools
- Develop and facilitate professional development (PD) at the network and school level on Special Education and IEP processes. PDs will occur during the summer in preparation for the school year and throughout the school year.
Evidence-Based Interventions and Instructional Methodologies
- Provide, update and support network guidance and school-specific recommendations and guidance around evidence-based intervention programs and instructional methodologies to address academic gaps.
- Evaluate current intervention programming (e.g. scheduling, curriculum) in conjunction with data, and make research-based recommendations to drive ongoing development and improvement across the STRIVE Prep network
- Collaborate with Curriculum Directors to identify intervention programs and instructional methodologies that align with GenEd ELA and Math.
- Provide consultation and collaboration to instructional coaches and administrators around coaching interventionists about specific interventions, providing additional support and follow-up as required around PD topics.
Targeted, Responsive Professional Development and School Support
- Identify trends in student and teacher performance data in order to inform continuous improvement of PD and school support.
- Collaborate with the Academic Team and other Central departments to design and deliver PD that addresses the many components of MTSS (e.g. data, parent engagement, technology, curriculum, etc) and intervention programming.
- Use a variety of data tools (e.g. progress monitoring, formative and standardized assessments, teacher development, etc.) to strategically support to teachers, coaches, and schools.
Additional Duties
- Perform other duties/tasks as needed or assigned by the Chief Academic Officer, Chief Executive Officer, and other senior leadership team members.
- Support schools throughout the year on campus (including potentially working directly with students)
- Active participation in network and school-level activities and/or events.
- Frequent travel (50-75% of work week) is required across the network to school campuses.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (OR PREFERENCES WHERE NOTED)
- Bachelor’s degree
- 2-5 year teaching and/or school-based experience SPED experience and familiarity with IEPs
- Independent travel in the Denver metro area
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree in English Language Arts, Reading, Math, or Special Education
- Previous school-based experience with SPED, MTSS and/or Intervention
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- Competitive compensation package and annual performance-based raises
- Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option
- Funding of 100% of individual medical benefits and a wide range of insurance plans
- Approximately three weeks of summer vacation, approximately four weeks of school holidays and vacations, and eight days of paid time off annually
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
STRIVE Prep works to make a college-prep education for all students in our community the norm rather than the exception. STRIVE is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds.
